Cafe Bleu
The Style Council
1984
Album Summary
Café Bleu is the official debut album released by the English band The Style Council. It was released on 16 March 1984, on Polydor Records, produced by Paul Weller with Peter Wilson. It followed the compilation Introducing The Style Council, which was released only in the Netherlands, Canada and Japan. The album was mainly recorded at Solid Bond Studios (owned by Weller) except for the strings which were recorded at CBS.Café Bleu was renamed My Ever Changing Moods in the United States to capitalise on the success of the single of the same name. Café Bleu included a large number of extra musicians, known as Honorary Councillors, including Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt from Everything but the Girl. The album represented a huge shift away from Weller's previous group The Jam and towards incorporating his favoured elements of classic soul, jazz and rap.
WikipediaOoooooh so, so smoooooth. I could feel my fingers sliding down my thighs, take the underpass and arrive with such desire in my dark soft tunnel. It's the record that made me fall in love with music...and also anal fingering.
I was enjoying the instrumental tracks, they're quite pleasant so took the edge off the Weller vocal tracks. However, in a completely unexpected swerve, rap happened. From Weller. The second hand embarrassment is too much. What the fuck was he thinking. It's so cringey, it hurts.
I’m not a hundred percent sure who this is for, it seems all over the place in tone
An extra star for being Paul Weller. Not sure how the hell he ended up doing this dull and boring record. Now i'm gonna have to go and listen to The Jam.
A smooth and seamless record, through both its rhythmic jazz and 80s pop backdrop. The Style Council employs colorful chord progressions and brilliantly mastered drums to evoke the 'Cafe Bleu' emotion, and full discretion; to its album's success. Soul meets the blues on this record - although popularly existing hand-in-hand, The Style Council's prior stylistic decisions influence this amalgam, making it a bright and pleasing listen.
Funky soulful jazzy. Not what I would have expected from Paul Welker but very glad I've discovered it
This was a fun listen. I’m still not 100% sure how I feel about it. I think that’s because it plays with so many sounds and styles. I’d listen again from front to back for sure. Totally different feel from The Jam as Paul Weller intended. But still rooted in great songwriting and creativity.
fuck me, that rap track is epic. meandering along on a sea of cafe jazz waiting patiently for shout to the top to come on and then boom, a super 90s funk rap track that you just know had a keytar involved. would happily have taken an album full of that. extra star for that bad boy.
Really enjoyed this album particularly the first half. While I haven't delved much into the Jam or Style Council it seems like this album pushes more into the direction Paul Weller would go in his solo work. Nice mix of soul, jazz, and pop and a lot of fun to listen to. Favorite songs The Paris Match (noted the Duo from Everything but the Girl are featured on this), My Ever Changing Moods. Give this one 3 stars
The vocal performances aren’t my favorite thing ever, but the songs themselves are really great. From the instrumental jazz to the solo piano and voice tracks to some of the more poppy stuff, there’s a surprising amount of variety. Favorite Track(s): “The Paris Match,” “Dropping Bombs On the Whitehouse,” and “Here’s One That Got Away”
Surprisingly good! I really liked The Jam and thought this was a good exploration outside the mod-sound into new territory that could have been quite risky. Not all of the tracks are amazing but it's consistent despite the variety of genres and style.
The payoff of diminished expectations, eh? As a British indie kid ca. 2000, The Jam were, like The Clash and The Kinks, part of my heritage; when my mates and I made mixtapes for the car in order to impress each other, a Jam track usually found its way onto our exacting compilations. However, The Style Council never got chosen; the only mate of ours who listened to The Style Council did so as an act of genuflection to his hero Paull Weller. This attitude, by my understanding, is pretty common across the UK: The Jam get praised as a key part of the British canon, and The Style Council get dismissed as a peculiarity by a iconic songwriter fleeing from his previous image. In any case, the sophisti-pop, 80s blue-eyed soul, jazzy instrumentals and (gulp) raps each seem, at first glance, a threat rather than an experiment. But ride me sideways, I rather like it. Paul Weller, giving his reasoning for this iconoclasm against The Jam's kinda thing, pointed out that the kids today in the mid-80s were grooving on down to soul, disco, R&B and other genres rooted in black music, so he and his new bandmate Mick Talbot might find exploring such music rewarding. The discerning listener may note that Mick Talbot was formerly the keyboardist for Dexy's Midnight Runners, the great soul champions of British new wave, so The Style Council were not going into these exotic genres that blindly. And Weller makes a decent enough fist of this more soulful style for Café Bleu to work. The album has 5(!) instrumentals, but neither their smoothness nor their jazziness grates. However, songs like The Paris Match (sung by Tracey Thorn of Everything But The Girl) have moments of real beauty, Strength of Your Nature possesses a fierce pulse, and the rap of A Gospel, remarkably, doesn't embarrass Weller nor the listener, a frankly miraculous turn of events when one contemplates the Wham! Rap and a thousand other sorry stabs at hip-hop by white singers. Now, I said I came into this album with slightly diminished expectations, allowing the album to surprise me with its high quality. So if you read this, I might unintentionally heighten your expectations, possibly leading to a sizeable disappointment. Maybe you should just ignore me.
I liked The Jam (Paul Weller's original band)... I'm not sure about British R&B, personally, but I understand it as a (possibly) important album.
I really enjoyed the first half of this album a lot. Then it sorta changed around Gospel. Dude started rapping? And like, eh I don't think it's very good. So first half solid, then nose dives.
Comfortably the worst album we've listened to on this list. I had hitherto been unaware that it was possible to make music that sounds so soulless.
The piano was annoying at the start. I thought that that was just going to be an intro, but the shit show just continued. Sorry Weller, but it's just a big pile of wank. Utter horse shit. Unacceptable.
Not for me. Probably the quickest I forgot an album. Usually if I do this I will try again but nah
The kindest thing I can say is that it's pretty ambitious with its genre hopping. However, others have done it much better. This was just annoying for the most part. I couldn't wait for it to stop. That rap track...lololololol Kudos for trying, in 1984 no less, but woof was that bad. That's coming from someone who generally enjoys old school sryle hip hop. It probably doesn't deserve a 1, but its getting it for annoying thr shit out of me. That's always a ticket to 1 star town.
This is honestly up there with The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter for bad albums on this list for me. It thinks it's good, that's what bugs me. It's lazy lounge music sung by pretentious jazzy twats who just have to have an accent in the album title. I tried a few songs, skipped to the "hits" on the album, cleaned up the puke on the floor and had to pull out. Would be a zero if I could. Hard pass.
Not sure if this *really* makes the cut for 5 stars or not, but it brightened my day.
Ahh Paul Weller and his then partner DC Lee. Great album with some super tunes on it. Love Mick Talbots Keyboard playing. "The Whole Point of No Return" "The Paris Match" "My Ever Changing Moods" & "Your The Best Thing" highlights but their isn't a bad track on this. I saw Mick Talbot with Jools Holland's Big Band a few years ago. Justifiably on the list!
Альбом великолепный. Звучит потрясно, музыка в стиле соул/джаз. Это здорово :)
The Style Council er svo vanmetið verkefni. Algjörlega dásamleg plata hjá þeim. Þessi útgáfa af My Ever Changing Moods er stórfengleg og You're The Best Thing er næstfallegasta ástarlag sem ég veit um.
This was an unexpected treat! Really great. A lot of very different moods and vibes. Will for sure be returning to this in the near future.
It's definitely just the mood that I'm in because I hit 1500 on chess.com while listening to this album, but what a fun album. It's like a perfectly unique mix of jazz, soul, 80s pop, and even hip-hop. I also learned that paul weller started The Jam, whose albums I've given like twos and threes but this is such a step up from that. My Ever Changing Moods is a great exhibit of the first 3 of this combo and is my favorite on this album. It also reminds me of that prefab sprout album I gave a 5.
Utterly smooth and filled with a level of soul that really speaks to you. The pure force of this album really surprised me, and I found myself being enthralled by nearly every track. Solid stuff and is just the right length to perfectly hold your attention and then move on. Faves: The Whole Point Of No Return, My Ever Changing Moods, Here’s One That Got Away, Me Ship Came In!, Headstart For Happiness, The Paris Match, You’re The Best Thing, Mick’s Blessings
Me ship came in is excellent. I know its the other way but it reminds me of the hellsing OST but less dark and grimy and more open and mellow. Highly stylistic album with a lot of colour in it.
Lots going on here. While I admire the ambition and it does include some belters, it feels a little disjointed and maybe too eclectic to earn 5 stars.
this record is all over the place - I hear jazz, I hear hip hop, it's enjoyable.
This was a refreshing 80's pop album with a great sound. Has a lot of good and fun production that makes it stick out and it continues to hold up.
Olin jo lannistunut kun näin että levy vuodelta 1984 ja briteistä. Odotin perus kasarimenoa, mutta tämähän olikin yllätyksekseni ihan raikasta menoa ja vähän jatsahtavaakin otetta löytyi. Tätä kuunteli ihan mielellään.
What starts off as mostly jazzy instrumentals eventually blends in some soul and even some R/B which I gotta say, surprised me in a good way.
It's actually a good álbum, I didn't think I'd like it as mucho as I do. That combination between synth pop and jazz is like, perfect, so good.
hmmm. i don't know what to make of this intro. it was nice enough, let's hope the singer's voice doesn't disappoint. oh second song starts out even nicer. his voice is okay! real nice and imperfect. oh i love this song so much already. "rising up and taking back, the property of every man" uhhh lol. third song: oh so this album wants to be a 5, i see. love the instrumental tracks so far. loving the feature in 'the paris match'. oh i do not like 'a gospel' this will be a 4 after all. also dislike the 'strength of your nature'. the the last couple of tracks are better but not mind blowing like the first seven.
A nice surprise. Had a fresh jazzy feel...bouncy. Worth another listen some time
Back half was weird but it was jazzy and poppy enough to be enjoyable for a lot of it. 8
It’s fun! All I can say about it really! Some really good songs in here
one of the coolest albums to ever do it? An extremely varied series of jazz-pop builds and rises with little to no payoff, notable if only for the fact no two tracks sound the same.
I can kind of understand why jazz was incorporated in a good amount of music in the early 80s this was a decent album.
Rating: 8/10 Best songs: The Paris match, My ever changing moods, Dropping bombs, Strength of your nature, Council’ meetin
“Solid soul-tinged pop songs, including 'My Ever Changing Moods,' 'Headstart for Happiness' and 'You're the Best Thing.’”
Всегда считал Уэллера рокером (и даже не знал что это его проект) и тут такой, неожиданно, джазовый альбом. Класс! Мне очень понравился
I was so ready to hate this album. ANOTHER British New Wave Band??? LOOK at that cover. I knew *exactly* what this was going to sound like... And then I was completely wrong. This was a fun romp that played with a bunch of genres. Sounded like the kind of thing you'd hear in a cafe.
**6/3/2022 - ALBUM #127** https://open.spotify.com/album/6tF9nPl6x7ACsKZ8alL1he?si=WDF1-mWXT1uAdHxGuK-AAg Today's Album: "Café Bleu" by The Style Council - This album really didn't seem like it was going to blow me away from the front cover and name, but wow this is seriously one of the most compelling albums I've listened to on this generator so far. Like when the first track starts, you think you're in store for this really soulful jazz instrumental album with these really punchy piano playing with a tambourine accompaniment. But then, The Whole Point Of No Return subverts every expectation I had with this really soft, yet powerful guitar ballad about how the rich control everything. Then it's right back to jazz instrumental tracks like nothing happened, the first of which has this really fun Latin groove to it while the second is a super laid back club tune. I at this point really enjoyed how it was mostly instrumental cuts, but then The Paris Match entrances me with yet another slow club song, this time with a really nice female vocalist and at this point I was also noticing the amazing acoustics on the vocal production on the tracks that have vocals. My Ever Changing Moods is definitely the most straightforward track here song-structure wise, but the songwriting itself is actually really great and it's amazing with a really catchy chorus and I am impressed by how much sound is coming out of a simple Piano and Vocal performance. We get another jazz track before a pretty cheesy rap track about gun control. I think it's a decent track with a good message in the lyrics, but I also think it's the point in the album where I like a song slightly less than the rest. Strength of Your Nature is an insanely enjoyable electronic dance track that just goes absolutely nuts with synths and background vocals and I think this was the point in the album where I really felt like there was no consistent theme to the song styles here, but I sort of love it. The rest of the tracks up to the end sort of fit into the same styles we've heard throughout the first 2 legs of the album, but they still all feel really unique from one another and it all lends itself to a pretty outstanding record flow. The closer in particular includes this really upbeat and optimistic organ melody that ends the album on a nice upbeat note. Overall, this is a jampacked record full of fun tracks of a variety of different genres. There definitely is a bit of a range of quality throughout the track list, but I commend the band on just how much sonic ground they cover. Give this one a listen. Period. You will enjoy it. Highlights: Mick's Blessing, The Whole Point Of No Return, Me Ship Came In!, Blue Café, The Paris Match, My Ever Changing Moods, Dropping Bombs On The White House, Strength Of Your Nature, You're The Best Thing, Here's One That Got Away, Headstart For Happiness, Council Meetin' Score: 8/10 An incredibly unique and enjoyable jazz/dance/electronica(?) project
It was my sister that first introduced me to the charms of The Style Council. As with most of her recommendations, I tended to dismiss her. As with most of her recommendations, I tended to change my mind and appreciate where she came from as I matured (case in point: this band called The Beatles). Anyway, I'm a bit torn about how I should rate this particular album. On one hand, I really like the more jazzy instrumental tracks. I also like the superb vocals on The Paris Match, and I always had a soft spot for My Ever Changing Moods' lyrics. The rest is, how shall I put it, mediocre? Tracks that haven't aged gracefully? On the positive side, the bulk of this album is included in that first group. Thankfully.
Feels weird giving Weller less than a 4 but there's some shite on here
Really really enjoyed this album. One of the most relaxing and calming albums I’ve ever listened too. A big 80s lyrical feel too it which just enhances the album with it’s Jazz/Blues undertone. Never listened to hear of this duo before but will definitely be one I’ll be listening too constantly now on. Group members from The Jam and Dexy’s Midnight Runners just makes the album so good both being from world class bands previously. If it was possible I would rate it a high 4.50 felt like it dropped off ever so slightly toward the end. Clear stand out with You’re the best thing. But really enjoyed and will be listening to many more times.
zany and eclectic 80s jazzercize pop. enough goofy kitschy cringe to be endearing
The different styles make this album pretty diverse, it's nice to discover
Paul Weller moves from the mod revival of The Jam to something altogether different. A pleasant mix of jazz and funk-equally at home in a Starbucks or while driving on a rainy evening.
This was a really nice surprise. Funky, jazzy and mellow. Those two house tracks are a bit out of place, mind...
I like it. Surprised with the rap in the song "A gospel". The album feels very jammy and is all over the place and doesn't stick to one genre.
sottofondo, variegate. Molto bello ed interessante gruppo da approfondire. Brani di molta esperienza compositiva e maturita'. struttura solida
Jazz. Pop. La parte jazz, buena, la pop, normalita. Algunos temas instrumentales.
There’s no doubt that Paul Weller is immensely talented. He founded the punk group The Jam and then did basically a 180 with The Style Council, and although they sound diametrically opposed, both were great groups. He also has a knack for recruiting top shelf musicians such as Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt from Everything But the Girl, who are also a great band. This album starts off rocking with Mick’s Blessings, but where it really shines is with the downtempo tunes like The whole point of no return, Blue cafe, Paris Match (with Tracey Thorn’s lively crooning). The best songs IMO are his slimmed down cover of My ever changing moods and You’re the best thing. I also really enjoyed the up-tempo jazz numbers like Dropping bombs and Council Meetin’. It’s too bad that he dropped a couple of rap songs in here that just sound completely out of place here.
I got this album on release since I liked the Jam and wanted more music like that. Typical good news / bad news scenario. Bad news: they didn’t sound anything like The Jam. Good news: I really liked it. On release I liked every song on the album except the two singles. Over the years I gave this vinyl a spin occasionally but play side 1 only to avoid the singles. 1001 made me listen to side 2 again and, surprisingly, I now like the singles. I like the genre hopping on this album. The jazz is quite good. The old school is kind of funny so many years later. My favourite song is Paris Match. I particularly enjoy the “glass half full” lyrics: “Empty skies say try to forget. Better advice is to have no regrets“ Tracey Thorn sings this song beautifully. It might be her best singing ever. It’s interesting how some singers deliver better than ever on an album that isn’t their own. The same could be said of Maria McKee’s vocals on “If Love is a red Dress . . .” on the Pulp Fiction sound track
Instrumentals are A+. I don't mind the vocals too much, but that rapping was uhhh...not the greatest. 4/5 since I still enjoyed most of what I heard.
Huge Paul Weller fan, whilst generally hating most 80's music. This wasn't too bad though
I was a big Jam fan and loved Weller's later work but have always avoided this period in his life horrified like Van Gogh turning to Pop Art. However since I was forced to listen to this again after almost 40 years I found myself enjoying it. Hogdammit Paul's consummate skill as a song writer just shines through despite the insipid 80s vibe.
This one’s new to me! Side A kicks off with a bang. I am really into the jazzy, new wave cross over; sophisti-pop I suppose. Not a genre I’m all that familiar with outside of Roxy Music’s Avalon. The first reference that came to mind in reading about The Style Council and listening to this album, was Talk Talk’s post synth-pop albums, namely The Color of Spring and Spirit of Eden. Talk Talk’s musical evolution reminds of that which Paul Weller made between his former band, The Jam, and The Style Council. Both are stories of two artists, at peak commercial success, who grew restless, threw that success to the wind and used their newfound notoriety to craft music more soulful, jazz-influenced, and totally different; long-time fans be damned. Obviously, this debut isn’t as experimental and left-field as Talk Talk’s post-rock, but still it’s a jarring turn for Mr. Weller, far from his punk rock roots. And I dig it! Side B meanders a little. I enjoy, in theory, the divergences taken to experiment with rapping on “A Gospel,” and with the melding of hip-hop, funk, and dance on “Strength of Your Nature,” but those forays make me stray a little, in turn. I only return for a few cuts, namely, “You’re The Best Thing,” and the fantastic closer, “Council Meeting.” But I think those few tracks in between that didn’t grab me will only grown on me with time. Actually, those two I mentioned are the only two I wasn’t shakin’ my booty too, I really liked the second and third to last tracks too. This whole affair reminds me a lot of Japanese City Pop. Which is cool. Thoroughly enjoyed this album. It’s really pretty fantastic. 4/5.
Loved the ideas on this album and they were executed beautifully- some notable highs and lows for me though - especially in the latter half of the album.